Device and method for determining the aperture angle of a joint

ABSTRACT

A device for determining the aperture angle of a joint includes a detection device for detecting positions of joint components and/or positions of structures connected to or to be connected to the joint and a computational unit for ascertaining the aperture angle of the joint based on the detected positions.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/670,177, filed on Sep. 23, 2003, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/440,700, filed on Jan. 17, 2003, both ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device and a method for determiningthe aperture angle of a joint lying between two body structures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Artificial hip joints are known in which a femur implant is introducedinto a bodily femur, after a head of the bodily joint has been removed.A joint cavity is introduced into the hip as a counter bearing, which,as an abutment, can accommodate a spherical or partially spherical headof the femur implant. Seating the implants precisely is a fundamentalcriterion for successfully implanting a hip joint. Even the smallestdeviations can lead to excessively rapid wear and tear and, therefore,to a short service life of the hip joint implant. In the event of asudden stress, such as, for example, an impact, a hip implant, which isnot introduced precisely, can easily be dislocated or loosened.Therefore, it is advantageous to intra-operatively verify that animplanted joint is correctly seated and positioned.

It is known that, while implanting a hip joint, a surgeon manually movesa patient's leg in various directions until it is prevented from movingfurther by the patient's anatomy, the implanted components meetingadjacent bones, or encumbrances by tissues or ligaments. An experiencedsurgeon uses this manual movement to assess the flexibility of the jointand, therefore, how to correctly seat the individual components of animplanted joint. However, a surgeon can only very roughly assess whetherflexibility ascertained and assessed in this way is sufficient for thepatient's daily life.

A device and a method for determining the position of a component of animplant are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,859, in which a model of thejoint and the implant components are generated and a movement of thejoint is simulated using the models.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the invention relates to determining anaperture angle of a joint lying between two body structures, such as,for example, the aperture angle of a hip joint, a knee joint, an elbowjoint or other joints. It is to be appreciated that the term “apertureangle” is intended to be understood, for example, in the case of theball joint-like hip joint, both as the angle between a fixed upper legaxis and a plane or axis defined by the position of the hip, and as thespatial position or orientation of the angle. The intention is, forexample, to ascertain how far the femur is inclined forwards, backwardsor to the side, relative for example to the hip, i.e. the spatial anglewhich the joint forms is determined. The intention is also, for example,to ascertain how a joint or parts or structures thereof are rotated, forexample, about a center axis.

It is an object of the present invention to propose a device and amethod for determining the aperture angle of a joint, which can be usedto precisely verify whether implant components are correctly seated.

In one embodiment, the device for determining the aperture angle of ajoint, such as, for example, a natural or an artificial joint, and/orfor determining relative positions of components or structures, can beused before, while and after a joint implant is implanted in order, forexample, to intra-operatively ascertain the aperture angle or the rangeof motion of a joint. If necessary, the device can be used to makemodifications to the implanted joint components or the position of thejoint component and/or to the patient's anatomy, e.g., by surgery. Adetection device can be provided. The detection device can include, forexample, a camera for detecting visible or infrared light,electromagnetic sensors (magnetic tracking), a sound sensor, or a systembased on radio, using which the position of the components forming thejoint and/or the structures connected to the joint or to be connected tothe joint can be ascertained.

Changes in the position and/or the rotational position of one or morecomponents or structures can be detected, such that, for example, thechanges can be ascertained in six degrees of freedom. In this way,markers can be attached in a known way to the respective componentsforming the joint or to adjacent structures. For example, markers can beattached to the hip and the femur and/or to the implanted components, inorder to detect the position of the respective structures or componentsonce the corresponding elements, provided with markers, have beenregistered. Furthermore, a computational unit can be provided to whichthe positional signals ascertained by the detection device, such as, forexample, the optically detected outlines of a structure or signalsemitted for example by markers, and, therefore, the position of theelements or structures connected to these markers is supplied, in orderto ascertain the aperture angle or the spatial angle in general of ajoint or an angle formed by two structures from this information.

The device in accordance with the invention thus enables an improvementin verifying and assessing, and, therefore, in performing, theimplantation of an artificial joint, such that the outcome ofimplantation can be improved. Positional values and angular values canbe automatically ascertained, in order, for example, to verify that ajoint is correctly seated using movements performed manually orautomatically, for example, using robots. Taking into accountanatomically relevant influencing parameters, such as the ligaments,soft tissues, etc., it can be ascertained whether movements, which maybe performed using the implanted joint, are sufficient or whether theimplant or the seating of the implant still has to be changed, in orderto obtain the desired range of motion of the joint. A joint can, forexample, be moved in each direction until it is no longer possible,using normal force, to open or close the joint further due to itcolliding with a body structure or a component of the joint or due toother factors, such that the range of motion of the joint can beascertained in various directions. Precise angular values can beascertained by the device in accordance with the invention, which can becompared, for example, with predetermined reference values, to verifythe correct seating or the correct functionality of a joint, withoutbeing reliant on the experience of a surgeon.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, the actual positions of thejoint components and/or of the body structures connected to the joint,such as, for example, the hip and the femur, can be ascertainedthree-dimensionally, even intra-operatively. In addition, their positionrelative to each other can be determined, such that the aperture angleof the joint can be precisely measured in various directions or the sixdegrees of freedom determining the spatial position and orientation canbe precisely measured.

A data output device, such as a display for outputting the ascertainedaperture angle of the joint or a screen, can be provided. Thethree-dimensional spatial position of the joint can be shown together onthe data output device with the parameters describing the position ofthe joint, such as, for example, the aperture angle and the spatialposition of the aperture angle.

In one embodiment, the device for determining the aperture angle of ajoint can include a device for applying defined forces onto the joint ora particular joint component in defined directions. For example, thedevice for applying defined forces can include a robot or amanually-operable device, which can display an applied force, in orderto be able to ascertain how far a joint is moved when particular forcesare applied. This can be used to obtain defined measurements, which can,for example, be compared with previously recorded reference values.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method fordetermining the aperture angle of a joint includes detecting theposition of the structures forming the joint and ascertaining theaperture angle from the detected positions. The method can, for example,be used intra-operatively, to measure the aperture angle or theflexibility in general of a joint during or after surgery, so as toprovide information to assist the surgeon's work. No surgery isnecessary to perform the method since only the position of thecomponents forming the joint and/or of the adjacent body structures arerecorded. This can be accomplished, for example, using attached markers,by detecting the outlines or using other suitable methods, and theaperture angle is calculated from the information recorded in this way.

Recordings of the natural or artificial joint and/or of body structuresadjacent to the joint can be used to determine the aperture angle orspatial angle of a joint, wherein nuclear spin resonance (MR) methods,computer tomography (CT) methods, ultrasound methods or other suitablemethods can be used. The recorded body structures can be sub-dividedinto individual elements, for example, using known segmentation orseparating methods. In this way, the borders of adjacent structures canbe obtained from the recorded data, in order to have data forcalculating the aperture angle from positional data of the bodystructures or for calculating an optimum position for a joint to beimplanted. In general, bone structures are detected in an image data setin a way that is substantially dependent on how the patient ispositioned or lying at the time the image data are detected. There arerough instructions for radiology and for the patient with respect to adesired position for recording the image data set. However, the variablepositions of the individual bone structures must be virtually moved toan initial position or neutral position to be defined, to provide aprecise basis for comparison, which also enables comparison between anumber of patients.

After segmenting, three local co-ordinate systems can be defined, suchas, for example, Femur Left, Femur Right and Pelvis. These can then beoriented with respect to each other in accordance with a fixedspecification and can thus be moved into a defined positionalrelationship. If one then wishes to visualize positional data, such as,for example, angles, length of leg or of a joint, then this neutralposition can be used as a starting position with respect to which anaperture angle or a spatial position can be defined. In this way,initial conditions can be created, which may even be reproduced andcompared with each other for various patients.

In one embodiment, an image data set can be recorded in an arbitraryposition. By segmenting individual body structures, for example, Hip,Femur Left and Femur Right can be identified as individual elements.Coordinate systems can be assigned to the individual, segmentedstructures, where the coordinate systems enable the structures to bevirtually aligned in the neutral position. Reference elements, such as,for example, reflective markers, can be attached to the joint to beimplanted. In one embodiment, the reference elements can be attached tothe individual components of the joint and/or to the body structuresadjacent to the joint. This enables one to ascertain and track thespatial position of the joint or of the individual joint componentsand/or the corresponding body structures, once the respective elementshave been registered. As such, the spatial positions of the individualjoint components and/or the spatial positions of the body structureadjacent to the joint are available, for example, for ascertaining apossible range of motion of a joint.

The parameters indicative of the spatial position and the aperture angleof the joint can be visualized, such that it is possible, preferably inreal time, to see what angle currently exists.

In accordance with one embodiment, data describing the flexibility of anatural or implanted joint can be measured and stored, such that atleast one reference value is available, in order to be able to verifythat a newly implanted joint is corrected seated and exhibits thedesired flexibility. An implanted joint can, for example, be verified bycomparing the measured flexibility of the implanted joint withmeasurement data from natural, i.e., not implanted, joints orsuccessfully implanted joints. Due to symmetry, for example, in the caseof a hip joint, comparative data of the opposite joint to the joint tobe replaced can likewise be used to obtain reference data forpositioning a joint to be implanted.

In one embodiment, defined forces can be applied to the joint in defineddirections, in order to have comparative values for defined stresses onthe joint, enabling an implanted joint to be verified.

In accordance with another aspect, the invention relates to a computerprogram which, when it is loaded onto a computer or run on a computer,performs at least one of the method steps described above. In accordancewith another aspect, the invention relates to a storage medium for aprogram or a computer program product comprising such a program.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and further features of the present invention will be apparentwith reference to the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a device for determining theaperture angle of a joint in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method of determining the apertureangle of a joint in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3A-3D are schematic diagrams illustrating a method of determining aneutral position in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device and method for determining an apertureangle of a joint lying between two body structures, such as, forexample, the aperture angle of a hip joint, a knee joint, an elbow jointor other joints. It is to be appreciated that the term “aperture angle”is intended to be understood, for example, in the case of the balljoint-like hip joint, both as the angle between a fixed upper leg axisand a plane or axis defined by the position of the hip, and as thespatial position or orientation of the angle. The intention is, forexample, to ascertain how far the femur is inclined forwards, backwardsor to the side, relative for example to the hip, i.e. the spatial anglewhich the joint forms is determined. The intention is also, for example,to ascertain how a joint or parts or structures thereof are rotated, forexample, about a center axis.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an artificial hip joint 10 including a jointhead 12 of a femur implant 14, which is accommodated by a joint cavity16 of the hip. Reference elements or stars 20, which include markers 22are attached to the body structures connected to the joint head 12 andthe joint cavity 16, respectively, and/or to the joint head 12 and/orthe joint cavity 16 themselves, in order to be able to determine theposition of the joint head 12 and the joint cavity 16. An camera 30,such as an infra-red (IR) camera, records light reflected by the markers22 of the reference stars 20 and forwards the signals to a computationalunit 40.

The computational unit 40 can display the position and/or the spatialangle in the orthopaedically defined directions of abduction, adduction,flexion, extension, internal and external rotation and changes in leglength. It is also possible to calculate the angle between a previouslydefined axis 42 through the joint head 12 and a previously defined axis44 through the joint cavity 16. For calculating the angle, it ispossible, for example, to fall back on data stored in a data base 50,which includes, for example, information on the geometry of the jointhead 12, the joint cavity 16, the fixing position of the reference stars20 or other information. Furthermore, reference values for a series ofmeasurements performed can be stored in the data base 50, where thesevalues can be used for comparison with subsequent measurements. A robot60 and a force measuring device 62 (both in communication with thecomputational unit 40) can be employed for applying forces in defineddirections to the joint as well as measuring respective applied forces.

A coordinate system of the femur can, for example, be used as areference system and can be defined by a plane formed by a neck axis 52(i.e., the center axis of the neck of the femur) and a shaft axis 54(i.e., the center axis of the long bone of the femur). This plane isoriented about the rotational point of the femur, parallel to thefrontal pelvic plane.

The healthy, opposite joint or leg to the joint to be implanted can beused as a comparative reference for, for example, the range of motion tobe enabled or for the length of the leg.

The spatial angle ascertained by the computational unit 40 can beoutputted to a display unit, such as, for example, a screen, and therenumerically outputted as a graphical representation of the joint and/orwith additional information.

With reference now to FIG. 2, a method for determining the apertureangle of a hip joint is provided. It is to be appreciated that whileFIG. 2 is described with reference to a hip joint, the methodology isapplicable to other joints. In step 60, a co-ordinate system of the hipcan be defined by identifying a sagittal center plane and a front hipplane in a computer tomographic (CT) representation. In step 62, aco-ordinate system of the femur is defined by identifying a rotationalcenter point and a center axis in a computer tomographic representation.It is to be appreciated that steps 60 and 62 can be performed bothsimultaneously and sequentially, in any order, i.e., step 62 can also beperformed before step 60.

In step 64, segmentation is performed, in order to be able todistinguish the individual bone structures, such as, for example, thehip, right femur and left femur, in the recordings of a body structure.

In step 66, a virtual movement of one or both femurs and the hip to aneutral or initial position is simulated in a simulation, wherein forexample the coronal plane of the femur lies parallel to the front planeof the hip in an initial position, to define a zero position.

In step 68, markers, such as, for example, reference stars, can beattached to the femur and the hip and/or to the joint cavity and thejoint head, on the side to be treated.

In step 70, the respective elements are then registered. In oneembodiment, the registration can be performed using a navigation systemas is described in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,659, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In step 72, the flexibility and/or the range of motion of a patient'sfemur is verified.

In step 74, the maximum possible movements, for example, expressed byaperture angles of the joint in various directions, are ascertained,visualized and recorded. In this way, an abduction (abducting or movingthe joint backwards), adduction (guiding or moving the joint forwards),flexion (bending) and/or extension (stretching) of the hip joint or ofanother of a patient's joints can be performed. It is also possible tocompare the movements possible with the flexibility of the patient'sstill healthy joint.

Optionally, the flexibility or range of motion of a patient's femur canbe verified by comparing them with the flexibility or range of motion ofa healthy joint lying symmetrical to said femur.

The joint can be moved both manually and automatically, for exampleusing a robot, in order to apply defined forces to the joint in defineddirections.

As described above, recordings of the natural or artificial joint and/orof body structures adjacent to the joint can be used to determine theaperture angle or spatial angle of a joint, wherein nuclear spinresonance (MR) methods, computer tomography (CT) methods, ultrasoundmethods or other suitable methods can be used. The recorded bodystructures can be sub-divided into individual elements, for example,using known segmentation or separating methods. In this way, the bordersof adjacent structures can be obtained from the recorded data, in orderto have data for calculating the aperture angle from positional data ofthe body structures or for calculating an optimum position for a jointto be implanted. In general, bone structures are detected in an imagedata set in a way that is substantially dependent on how the patient ispositioned or lying at the time the image data are detected. There arerough instructions for radiology and for the patient with respect to adesired position for recording the image data set. However, the variablepositions of the individual bone structures must be virtually moved toan initial position or neutral position to be defined, to provide aprecise basis for comparison, which also enables comparison between anumber of patients.

After segmenting, three local co-ordinate systems can be defined, suchas, for example, Femur Left, Femur Right and Pelvis. These can then beoriented with respect to each other in accordance with a fixedspecification and can thus be moved into a defined positionalrelationship. If one then wishes to visualize positional data, such as,for example, angles, length of leg or of a joint, then this neutralposition can be used as a starting position with respect to which anaperture angle or a spatial position can be defined. In this way,initial conditions can be created, which may even be reproduced andcompared with each other for various patients.

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate the procedure described above. An image data set,which can be recorded in an arbitrary position of the patient, is shownschematically in FIG. 3A. By segmenting, as shown schematically in FIG.3B, the individual body structures, such as, for example, Hip, FemurLeft and Femur Right can be identified as individual elements. As shownin FIG. 3C, coordinate systems can be assigned to the individual,segmented structures. The coordinate systems can enable the structuresto be virtually aligned in the neutral position shown in FIG. 3D.

Although the invention has been described using a hip joint by way ofexample, it is clear that the device and method in accordance with theinvention can also be used to ascertain aperture angles for otherjoints, for example a knee joint or an elbow joint.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it is understood that the invention is not limitedcorrespondingly in scope, but includes all changes, modifications andequivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the claims appendedhereto.

1. A method for determining an aperture angle of a joint, said methodcomprising: detecting at least one of (i) positions of componentsforming the joint and (ii) positions of structures connected to or to beconnected to the joint; and ascertaining the aperture angle of the jointfrom the detected positions.
 2. The method as set forth in claim 1,further comprising: recording at least one of (i) joint structures and(ii) structures connected to or to be connected to the joint; and usingthe recorded structures to determine the aperture angle.
 3. The methodas set forth in claim 2, further comprising: performing a segmentationstep to sub-divide the recorded structures.
 4. The method as set forthin claim 2, further comprising: attaching reference markers to at leastone of (i) the joint and (ii) the structures connected to or to beconnected to the joint.
 5. The method as set forth in claim 3, furthercomprising: registering at least one of (i) the joint and (ii) thestructures connected to or to be connected to the joint.
 6. The methodas set forth in claim 5, further comprising: visualizing the ascertainedaperture angle.
 7. The method as set forth in claim 1, whereinascertained aperture angles are stored in a storage unit.
 8. The methodas set forth in claim 1, further comprising: determining aperture anglesof a natural joint in a plurality of directions; implanting anartificial joint; determining aperture angles of the implanted joint;and comparing the determined aperture angles of the natural joint withthe determined aperture angles of the implanted joint.
 9. The method asset forth in claim 1, further comprising applying defined forces indefined directions to the joint.
 10. A computer program which, when itis loaded onto a computer or run on a computer, performs the methodsteps as set forth in claim
 1. 11. A machine-readable storage mediumhaving stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed,cause a system to perform the method as set forth in claim
 1. 12.-15.(canceled)
 16. A system comprising: a device for determining a spatialangle formed by a joint, the device comprising a detection deviceconfigured to detect (i) positions of joint components and/or (ii)positions of structures connected to or to be connected to the joint,and a computational unit programmed with a program configured to run onthe computational unit, wherein the program is configured to ascertain aspatial angle formed by the joint based on the detected positions usingjoint geometry data stored in a database; and a plurality of referencemarkers configured to be removably connected to joint structures and/orstructures connected to or to be connected to the joint, wherein thedetection device is configured to detect the reference markers.